Food security threatened by Bill 24
The government of BC has introduced Bill 24, The Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) Amendment Act. Despite the lack of formal public consultation, we have an opportunity to make our voices heard before this Bill gets passed.
Changes to the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) have been nervously anticipated since last July when Hon. Bill Bennett, the Minister responsible for the core review, braced British Columbians for change. Now the Bill is on the table we see the changes are substantive, and in my opinion are not in the interests of our food security.
Galviston spill a tip of the hat to Exxon Valdez and a warning to Vancouver
Days before the 25th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the west coast’s signature oil spill, a barge carrying “heavy oil” collided with another ship spilling approximately nearly 650,000 litres into the water around Galviston and Texas City, south of Houston, Texas.
What are the proposed BC Ferries cuts costing British Columbians?
Following the Defend our Marine Highways rally at the BC Legislature on March 11th, Transportation Minister Todd Stone was quick to publicly react. Among other things, the Minister suggested the government knows more than they are letting on. He admitted:
“We certainly know there will be some impact from a tourism perspective.”
Based on Minister Stone’s certainty, it begs the question, what does the government know that they are not telling us? What is the impact and how big? Will the cost to coastal business communities be greater than the $19 million dollars they are seeking to save through ferry schedule reductions? What about the long-term impact?
Adam Olsen speaks at Defend our Marine Highways Rally
"It is good to be here with you, all my friends and relatives.
"We are here today to stand with our coastal communities.
"Today is a day of mourning… and a day of celebration:
"We mourn the eroding fabric of our Province, brought on by the backward BC Ferries policy of the current and previous BC Governments.
"We stand with all our coastal communities… we stand with all British Columbian’s. Your government does not value your contribution… your opinions… your ideas… and your solutions.